Like cream cheese on Wonder Bread

Gnashing one's teeth is less pleasant without some food involved, so I'll provide a food analogy with today's political commentary.

The neocons in the Bush Administration, in PNAC, and elsewhere like to talk about a certain process they call "spreading democracy." To me, it sounds like something that ought to be done with a butter knife. The enthusiasts for spreading democracy appear to ignore the facts surrounding the emergence of democracy in America; when the Revolution began, a stable, cohesive society already existed. There were already democratic institutions in place, such as the separation of powers, which had developed organically over centuries. So if democracy is like cream cheese, American society was like a nice, solid bagel, which could easily support it.

Iraqi society, by contrast, is like Wonder Bread -- especially after we essentially dismantled the state. Try and spread the cream cheese of democracy on it -- the crusty minority separates from the larger spongy white part, and the whole thing smushes and tears apart. It's not pretty.

Central to the neoconservative ideology is that democratic governments, selected by a rational electorate, tend to be easier to deal with in a rational, diplomatic way than non-democratic governments. An assumption is made that a government selected by the people will respect universal human rights. In the case of a U.S. role in establishing this government, the beneficiaries of these newly acquired rights should then feel grateful, improving the image of the U.S. abroad. Furthermore, a society that values human rights ought to respect their neighbors, leading to more harmonious relations among the nations.

If only it were so tidy. Unfortunately, the assumptions made regarding democratically elected governments do not necessarily hold. Often, we see examples of democratic processes where the "wrong" government is selected. Iraq, already mentioned above, is one such case. Not long ago, the Palestinians also selected the "wrong" government -- favoring one that condones terror over the previous corrupt and ineffective one. The government selected by the people, even if it is a rational choice, might represent one faction that has little respect for the rights of others. Meanwhile, U.S. involvement in the process is resented as arrogant, heavy-handed meddling.

Not that democracy is a bad thing, mind you. It just doesn't produce the results advertised by the neocons. For more along these lines, I refer you to an article titled The Dangers of Exporting Democracy by Eric Hobsbawm that was published last year in the Guardian (UK). I should point out that Mr. Hobsbawm, a noted Communist, could be criticized as being an extremist and not worthy of serious consideration. However, in this case, I think he raises some good points.